EVAPORATOR FOR AQUEOUS WASTE REDUCTION
 |
|
||||||||||||
| Overview: | Evaporation is a proven technology
for reducing aqueous wastes. By using active evaporation or heating to
evaporate excess water, hazardous waste rinse water disposal or
wastewater treatment can be minimized. Evaporator units discussed in this data sheet are gas fired and fully factory assembled. The only potential problem with these systems is the possible mixing of liquid droplets with vapor. This potential problem can be eliminated with the aid of an entrainment separator. The design, process, and safety requirements for these units are as follows:
In addition to these design requirements, operational options for evaporators include evaporation to the atmosphere versus evaporation and condensing (closed loop), with no waste emissions. All evaporator units require operator training. Although all evaporator units have their own heat source, the humidity of the location can affect performance. Atmospheric evaporation, in high humidity locations, will require longer time periods to process a batch. Evaporation units have the capability to reduce waste or rinse water by up to 90 percent of the previous volume. This reduction decreases the quantity of hazardous waste designated for disposal, and the associated transportation and drum purchase costs for hazardous waste disposal. These evaporative systems have been installed at multiple facilities throughout the Army, Air Force, and the Navy. One evaporative unit has been in use at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, since 1992. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compliance Benefit: | The use of an evaporator for
aqueous waste reduction may help facilities meet the requirements of waste
reduction under RCRA (40 CFR 262) and Executive Order (EO) 13148.
An evaporator will increase electricity and water consumption. Under EO 13123, federal facilities are required to reduce energy consumption and implement water conservation programs. In addition, the facility will require an air permit under 40 CFR 70 and 71 or a similar state-only permitting program for a gas burner and for evaporation to atmosphere. The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as general guidelines and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g., the amount of workload involved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Materials Compatibility: | Because this process only
handles waste, there are no materials compatibility problems. It should be
noted that these systems are for aqueous waste streams and reduce the
amount of water in a waste or rinse stream. If the evaporator waste stream
changes, the evaporation system should be thoroughly cleaned to avoid
cross contamination or chemical reactions.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Safety and Health: | Units are equipped with
automatic natural gas shut offs. If the flame goes out, there are low and
high level alarms for the condensate and feed tanks respectively. These
units must be installed in areas with fire-suppression systems, must be
protected from the rain, and should not be allowed to freeze. All of the
proper warning signs such as those concerning hazardous materials and
flammable materials must be posted. Additionally, all appropriate warning
lines must be painted on the floors. All personnel who will work in the
area should be trained prior to operating the evaporator and should be
made aware of the potential hazards associated with the process and the
required personal protective equipment.
Consult your local industrial health specialist, your local health and safety personnel, and the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing this technology. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Benefits: |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disadvantages: |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Economic Analysis: | This economic analysis compares
the operation of an evaporator versus waste disposal as hazardous. It used an evaporator with capital costs of $83,000. (Lower cost evaporators are available. According to the Pollution Prevention Equipment Program, the capital cost for a rinse water evaporator is $31,000.) For this
evaporator, the annual waste stream processed is 47,000 pounds of
neutralized sulfamic acid contaminated with chrome and 47,000 pounds of
tri-sodium phosphate contaminated with metals. The employment of an
evaporator reduces the quantity of liquid hazardous waste disposal by 90 percent,
resulting in the evaporation of approximately 11,000 gallons of water
annually.
Assumptions:
Table 1. Annual Operating Cost Comparison for Evaporation versus Disposal as Hazardous Waste
Economic Analysis Summary:
Click Here to view an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values. To return from the Active Spreadsheet, click the Back arrow on the Tool Bar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSN/MSDS: |
*There are multiple MSDSs for most NSNs. The MSDS (if shown above) is only meant to serve as an example. To return from the MSDS, click the Back arrow on the Tool Bar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Approving Authority: | Appropriate authority for making process changes
should always be sought prior to procuring or implementing any of the technologies identified herein.
|
| Points of Contact: |
|
| Vendors: | This is not meant to be a complete
list, as there may be other manufacturers of this type of equipment. US Filter 181 Thornhill Road Warrendale, PA 15086 Phone: (800) 525-0658 URL: http://www.usfilter.com/ |
| Enders Process Equipment
Corp. P.O. Box 308 746 Armatage Ave., IL 60137 Phone: (630) 469-3787 Contact: Mr. Joe Enders | |
| Landa Water Cleaning
Systems 4275 NW Pacific Rim Blvd. Camas, WA 98607 Phone: (800) 526-3248 URL: http://www.landa.com/ | |
| Lake View Engineered
Products 2010 Lakeview Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46808 Phone: (260) 432-3479 FAX: (260) 432-6239 URL: http://www.lakeviewengineered.com/ | |
| RFG Environmental Systems 3875 Fiscal Court West Palm Beach, FL 33404 Phone: (800) 842-7771 or (561) 848-1826 FAX: (888) 848-0047 or (561) 848-9454 URL: http://www.rfg.com/ | |
| Related Links: |
Rinse Water Evaporator,
Pollution Prevention Equipment Program (PPEP) |
| Sources: | Mr. Rudy Pontemayor, Deputy
Force Environmental Advisor, N451, April 1999. Contact with Sheri McElroy, May 1996. Contact with Joe Enders, May 1996. Arthur D. Little, 1995. Site Assessment Pollution Prevention Equipment at NAS North Island, SUBASE Bangor, NAVSTA, Pascagoula, and NAVSTA Everett. August. Cambridge, MA. |
| Supplemental: |
Diagram of Rinse Water Evaporator
|